Why Michigan DC Don Brown Is Excited To Play Wisconsin

EAST LANSING, MI - OCTOBER 29: Defensive Coordinator Don Brown reacts to a Michigan Wolverines goal line stance during the third quarter of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on October 29, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan defeated Michigan State 32-23. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

The Michigan Wolverines will have one of their toughest tests of the season next weekend on the road against Wisconsin. But Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown is looking forward to the challenge.

Speaking to the media this week, Brown, considered one of the elite coordinators in the country, dismissed the idea that his defense would struggle against Wisconsin. When asked whether his interior defensive line in particular might struggle, he called the notion a “buncha crap.”

“Buncha crap… We’ve got a lot of guys now. We’ve gotta start rotating them in there. Again – who have we played? We’ve played a 1-0 personnel team with no tight ends, and we’ve played the triple (option), which I’ve already told you that we have a style that we play. We’re gonna divide our workload. We’re gonna go ahead and take care of the fullback, you’ve gotta take care of the quarterback, you’ve gotta take care of the pitch. There’s a lot to deal with.”

Don Brown expressed optimism that his defense “finally can play Michigan defense,” running their preferred schemes.

“This is a little different deal now… We finally can play Michigan defense, where we can go back and run our stuff that we run all preseason and all spring practice…”

The Badgers have outscored their last two opponents 110-0. Meanwhile, Michigan has allowed 42 points against the combination of Middle Tennessee and Army.

Michigan has not responded well to their first two games of the season. They got off to an unusually slow start against Middle Tennessee and needed double-overtime to beat the Black Knights. And both of those games were in Ann Arbor.

Nevertheless, Michigan and Wisconsin share an identical 2-0 record. Both programs have byes this weekend ahead of the big game on Sept. 21.